Apparatus for inserting hair into a doll&#39;s head



Dec. 27, 1955 F. RICHARDS 2,728,314

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO A DOLL'S HEAD Filed May 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l 29 FIG. I.

INVENTOR FQAA/k 2 ICAMQOS BY flack ga ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1955 R|HARD$ 2,728,314

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO A DOLLS'HEAD Filed May 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FEA/VK E/cl/AQD 5 BY W ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1955 F. RICHARDS 2,728,314

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO A vows HEAD Filed May 28, 1952 FIG. 6.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Helm/K R/CH/IRDS BY 7 M3600";

ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1955 F. RICHARDS 2,728,314

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO A DOLL'S HEAD Filed May 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTO R FQA/VK RICA/A1205 ATTORN EYS other material of the United States Patent Frank Richards, Hollis, N. Y., assignor to Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,518 2 Claims. or. tit-79.5

This invention relates to apparatus for inserting hair into a dolls head and in particular, an improved needle for said purpose.

As one example, the invention is particularly useful. in fixing slightly twisted yarns which are made of Vinylidene chloride fibers or filaments, to a doll head which is made of resilient vinyl plastic. Vinylidene chloride filaments or fibers, which are sold under the names of Saran and .Velon, are fully described in a book entitled The New Fibers by Sherman and Sherman, published in 1946 by D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc. As one example, a yarn or thread which is made of said filaments or fibers, consists of four such Vinylidene chloride filaments or fibers, in which the thickness of each such filament or fiber is 0.0035 inch. This yarn or thread has a very low.right hand twist, and its individual fibers or filaments separate easily, so that the sewing operation has numerous difii culties.

By aifixing yarns or threads or filaments of said material, or yarns or threads or filaments made of other materials, to a head which is made of material which can be pierced by a needle or other perforating means, an imitation wig is produced.

it is well-known to make such imitation wig or similar articles, with the use of needles of various types, such as barbed needles, forked needles and hollow needles, as disclosed in many United States Patents. Thus Lewis No. 925,813, dated June 22, 1909, discloses a hollow needle for use in a sewing machine. Cole U. S. Patent No. 1,176,032, dated March 21, 1916, discloses a hollow turfing or tufting needle for making tufted rugs. Chern U. S. Patent No. 1,364,352, dated January 4, 1921, discloses a hollow embroidery needle which has a tapered end, like a hypodermic needle.

penetrating stroke, it is necessary to provide sufiicient friction between the loopforming material and the wall of the bore of the hollow needle, so that the loop-forming material will move in unison with the hollow needle.

needle punches out tiny discs of the vinylite plastic or doll-head, which often clogs the to a conical 2,728,314 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 bore of the needle. Also, when a disc of the vinylite material is thus punched out, the wall of the material at the resultant hole often does not grip the loop-forming material.

It is impossible to use hooks or other devices for engaging the internal loops, when an imitation wig is being made on a doll-head, and it is necessary to provide external loops of uniform length.

According to this invention, I shape a standard hollow needle, like a hypodermic needle, in order to adapt it for the special purposes required herein. This standard hollow needle has a straight cylindrical shank which tapers piercing tip-part. The longitudinal bore of such standard needle has a straight longitudinal axis. Said longitudinal bore may be cylindrical and of uniform diameter, or said bore may be cylindrical and of uniform diameter in said cylindrical shank, and said bore may taper in said tapered tip-part, toward the point of the needle.

According to this invention, this tapered tip-part, which is of original friusto-conical shape, is bent laterally relative to the shank of the needle, around a bending axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bore.

Said bending axis is also perpendicular to the plane in which the axis of the bore is located.

This tapered tip-part is thus bent into hook-shape. This bending operation may extend into the lower end-part of the cylindrical shank.

The concave part of this hook is then ground off in a longitudinal plane which is parallel to the axis of the bore of the needle. This provides the needle with an opening which is in a plane which is parallel to the longitudinal bore. This opening is tapered and it preferably comes to a point at the tip of the needle. The edge of this opening is then mechanically rounded or blunted, so that it does not cut the loop-forming material.

Of course, the needle may be initially manufactured into this shape.

When this needle penetrates the Wall of the head, said needle forms a straight slit, whose length is equal to the relative to the loop-forming material, even though said loop-forming material, or relatively thick parts thereof, fit snugly in the bore of the needle.

A greatly improved needle is thus provided.

As an additional improvement, I fix the inner or rear end of the needle to a head which has a bore of smaller diameter than the bore of the needle. The loop-forming material fits closely and even tightly in this head-bore,

forming material, of the slit-walls. minimize any slip between the loop-forming material and the needle, during the penetrating stroke of the needle.

I also provide means for actuating the needle in a stroke of regulated length, and I provide an adjustable mandrel or support for the head, which is adjusted so that internal loops of regulated length will be formed.

- in the annexed description'and drawings.

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine which embodies the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1',

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view which shows the optional braking or friction means for controlling and retarding the feed of the filaments of material;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4;

6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a top plan 'view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 6, taken in the direction of the arrow F8 of Fig. 6. The representation of the clamping cover of the machine is omitted in this view;

Fig. 9 is similar to Fig. 8, showing the clamping cover in position;

Fig. 10 is a sectional Fig, 11 is a detail sectional view, partially in elevation, which shows one of the hollow needles and the head to which the hollow needle is fixed. The representation of the needle is substantilaly to scale in Figs. 10 and 11;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a detail view, partially in vertical section,

which shows the mandrel support for the wall of the head of the doll, and the application of the yarn or thread to the head of the doll; and

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view which shows the finished product, after the ends of the external loops have been cut off.

As shown in the side elevation of Fig. l, the machine is provided with a frame F which is supported upon a suitable number of feet 1. A motor 2 is fixed to the frame F. The shaft of this motor 2 is provided with a driving pulley 3. An endless belt 4 connects the pulley 3 toa companion driven pulley 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the driven pulley S The driven pulley 5 is of larger diameter than the driving pulley 3, in order to provide speed reduction. A pulley 7, of smaller diameter than pulley 5, is fixed to the shaft 6. This pulley 7 is connected by an endless belt 8 to a pulley 9, which is of much larger diameter than the pulley 7. Other speed reduction means may be substituted.

The pulley 9 drives a main drive shaft 10. As shown in Fig. 2, a wheel 11 is fixed to the main drive shaft 10. This wheel 11 is provided with a radial slot 12. This wheel 11 has a boss 14, which is releasably fixed to the main drive shaft 10, by a pin 18 which is shown in Fig. 3. This main drive shaft 10 is rotatably mounted in bearings 15 which are fixed to the frame F.

The pulley 9 is releasably connected to the main drive shaft 16, by means of a conventional clutch C, whose control member Ca can be operated by the hand or foot of the operator, in order to couple the pulley 9 to the shaft 10, or to uncouple the pulley 9tfrom theshaft 10.

The slot 12 of the wheel 11 functions asa crank. arm. The bottom end 16b of a link 16 is pivotally and adjustably connected by an adjustable pivot pin 17 to thewall of the slot 12, in order to provide for an adjustable stroke of the link 16 by the rotation of wheel 11. The.pivot pin 17 can be clamped to any selected part. of the walls of slot 12.

Fig. 3 shows that the upper end 16a of the link 1.6.;is pivotally connected to a hollow pivot pin 19, which. has a reduced and hollow pin-extension 29; A screw 21, which has a threaded end 22, extends throughthehollow pivot pin 19 and its extension 20. The threadedrend 2.2 of said screw 21 is fixed to a block 23. This block23 is vertically slidable in a vertical column 24, which is fixed to frame F. For this purpose, the verticalcolumn 24 is provided with transversely alined and vertical slots S. The reduced extension of pivot pin l9sisvertically slidable in one of these slots S. The block 23-is nonturnable in column 24. A needle-operatinghcad 25; has a horizontal arm 26 which is fixed'by asuitablescrew to the vertically slidable block 23, so that thearm 26..is reciprocated vertically in unison withhcad. ziandhlock view on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

is mounted upon a longitudinal shaft 6.

Whi s aa all l. to e s aight 4 23 apd the upper end 16a of the link 16. An arm or plate 27 is fixed to a cap 28 which is releasably connected to the top of the column 24.

Bobbin-supports 29 are fixed to said arm or plate 27. A set of bobbins B, on which the yarns or threads N are wound in respective helical layers, are mounted upon suitable spindles 30 which are fixed to the arms of the bobbin-supports '29. These bobbins B are not turned on their spindles 30, when the loop-forming material N is unwound from said bobbins. The threads or yarns N which are led ofi said bobbins B are initially led through a first eye 31, and then through a second or succeeding eye 32. These eyes 31 and 32 are formed by bending a wire which has a base portion 33, which is fixed to the arm or plate 27.

These eyes 31 and 32 are at the same horizontal level and they are spaced horizontally from each other. The threads or yarns N are led vertically downwardly from the second eye 32, in a path which is exposed to the infra-red rays of an optional lamp L, in order to heat the yarns or threads N and make them more flexible. The heated and flexible yarns or threads N are led vertically from seeond eye 32 and are then passed through a third eye 34, which is formed by bending a wire 35, whose lower end is fixed. to an arm or rod 36, which is fixed to the arm 26. The yarns or threads N are then led vertically and parallel. to each other, as shown in Fig.4, between a rigid bar 37 and a soft resilient pad of friction or braking material 38. This friction pad 38 is fixed to a bar 39. The bar 37 is fixed to arm 36. A compression blade spring 40 has one rigid bar 37 and. another leg fixed to the rigid bar 39. The force of. the braking or friction spring 40 is selected, in order. to. subject the. vertical and parallel yarns or threads N to suitable retarding f 'ction, as they pass between the rigid. bar 37 and. the. soft and resilient friction pad 38.. This friction device may be omitted.

As shown. substantially to. scale in Figs. 10 and 11, the needle. 41; has a straight cylindricalshank, which has a straight cylindrical bore, which is of uniform diameter in. this: embodiment; The tip part of the needle 42 has a convex surface element 42a in the vertical plane of Fig. 10. It may be assumed. that the original needle, which, has an: original straight axis, like a conventional hypodermic needle. is. held inthe vertical position of Fig. 10,, andthat the tip-part of this original needle is bent counterclockwise, so as to curve said tip-part into a slightlybent orhookrshapc. which is lateral relative to the shank; of the needle.

The concave, part of this hook-shapeis then ground in a vertical plane, which. is. perpendicular to the plane of Fig, 10., in, order to provide anopening 43, whoseedge,

is in said vertical plane.- This edge of opening 43 is oftaperedshane and itis-in avertical or longitudinal plane 7 axis of the, shank of flieneedle. This edge of open n .43is then mechanically rounded. or; blunted, so that. it does not cut the loopom ns. mat N.

Theupper or. inner end of. needle 41 is fixed to a needle head, 44. which has, an. external flangev 44a, an inlet recess 46, and; abott m or outlet bore 45,,which qtsmal c dianet hamheboreor needle 1,- Said needle-head 44 is shownsubstantially-to scale; in Fig, l1.

As shown. in. Fig, 10, a needlerholder block. 47. rests upon an annular-flange 25a, ,whichis provided at the bottom ofjthe needleqoperating head 25. This block 47 has a series of'vertical and cylindrical bores 48. A cylindrical head 44 is located in each bore 48. Each head 44 has a flange'44a, which is supported on a respective shoulder of the block 47.

Imadditionto=resting upon tho flange 25a of the-head 25, additional;meansare provided-for fixing-the block 47' to thezheadt25.. As shown" in Fig. 7, bars 50 and 50a. are fixedzto the head;25. These bars 50 and50a may. be integraLwith theghead: The-bar'SB is proleg fixed to the v 5 vided with clamping screws 51, which extend through tapped bores of the bar 50, in order firmly to clamp the holder 47 between the bars 50and 50a. Figs. 6 and 7 also show that the head is fixed to the arm 26 by means of screws 25b.

Fig. 10 shows a clamping cover 52 which has vertical bores 53 which are alined with the bores 48 of the block 4 Each bore 53 has an annular wall of convex shape. These bores 53 are of smaller diameter than the bores 48 of the block 47. This cover 52 is releasably fixed to the bars and 50a, by means of screws 54, whose threaded ends enter tapped bores 55 of the bars 50 and 50a. The representation of the cover 52 is omitted in Fig. 7.

When the cover 52 is clamped to the bars 50 and 50a, said cover abuts the tops of the heads 44, thus firmly clamping said heads 44 in position. The yarns or threads N are led through the respective bores 53, and through the respective recesses 46 of the fine bores 45 to the respective hollow needles 41 and through said needles 41.

As shown in Fig. 12, the flanges 44a which are provided at the tops of the heads 44, are of general rectangular shape, with cut away corners. As shown in Fig. 7, the top of the block 47 is provided with grooves 56 which have straight and parallel edges, with which the straight and parallel edges of the flanges 44a interfit, so that the heads 44 and their hollow needles 41 can not turn relative to the block 47.

The flanges 44:: are sufiiciently large to rest upon the shoulders which are provided by the grooves 56.

As shown in Fig. 6, the clamping cover 52 can be easily removed by loosening the screws 54. Hence, if one of these thin and fragile needles 41 breaks during the sewing, the machine can be temporarily stopped, the clamping cover 52 can be removed, and the defective needle 41 can be removed and replaced, while the other needles remain in position. Also, if one of the yarns or threads N breaks, the respective needle 41 can be easily removed and rethreaded.

The block 47 can be easily removed and a new can be inserted, thus needles.

Fig. 13 shows a part of the head H of the doll. This head H is supported at a part of its inner wall upon a conventional annular cylindrical support or mandrel 57, whose bottom wall is provided with openings 58. This rigid mandrel 57 is supported upon a rod 59, which is adjustably fixed to the frame F.

In operation, the link 16 reciprocates the head 25 and the needles 41. When the needles 41 are at the upper block providing any selected number of ends of their vertical strokes, the operator shifts the dollhead H, in order to present new surfaces of the head H to the piercing and sewing action of the needles 41, upon their next down stroke. The needles 41 form loops or bights 60 of the yarns or filaments N at the interior face of the head H. The entire head H can thus be covered with filaments N, in order to make an imitation wig. After the sewing operation has been completed, a layer of adhesive 61 is applied to the inner face of the head, and when this adhesive layer 61 has set, the inner loops 60 are firmly held in position.

Before sewing the yarns or filaments N to the head H, the interior face of the wall of the head H is provided with a thin coating of adherent talcum powder T or the like. The coating of talcum powder acts as a powder lubricant, so that the hollow needles 41 are lubricated at each stroke, thus minimizing breakage of the thin and fragile needles 41. Some of the talcum powder T is shaken off the head H by the sewing action of the needles 41, and this talcum powder can escape through the openings 58.

The length of each inner loop mately 0.025 inch.

After the completion of the sewing operation, the yarns or threads N form closed loops at the exterior of the head H, as shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 13. The ends 60 may be approxiin addition to being used as .of these outer loops are removed by shearing, so that the final wig has separated yarns or threads N, as shown in Fig. 14.

The length of the yarns or threads N exterior to the head H, is regulated by regulating the length of the vertical stroke of the block 23, which is adjusted by adjusting the position of the pivot pin 17 in the slot 12. The rod 59 which supports the mandrel 57, is vertically adjustable relative to the frame F, so that the vertical position of the mandrel 57 can be manually adjusted, in accordance with the adjustment with the length of the vertical stroke of the block 23.

A single needle 41 can be operated by hand, so that a true method is disclosed herein, whereby a thin slit is formed in the head H or other material in any manner, a yarn or thread or filament is slit while it is open, and a part of or filament is head H.

Also, instead of using a needle 41 which acts both to slit the head and to force a yarn or thread or filament partially through said slit while it is held open, a thin hand piercing tool could be used to form the slit, and the thread or yarn or filament could then be pushed by a hand-operated tool through said slit while it is held open, as by using the familiar forked needle or pushing tool.

By using the improved combination slitting and pushing needle 41, the machine can be operated at reason ably high speed and with uniform results.

As shown in Fig. 11, the edge or wall of the opening 43 is forwardly tapered to the piercing tip 42 of the tufting needle 41. This direction of forward taper is a downward direction in Fig. 11. This edge or wall of opening 43 has two substantially straight legs which extend to the piercing tip 42, and a slightly concave rear end, so that said edge or wall of opening 43 is of substantially triangular contour, but without sharp points or edges, save at the piercing tip 42.

The slits which are formed by the needles are so thin as to be invisible in the finished article of manufacture.

The improved needle can be used as a sewing needle,

a tufting needle.

The improved tufting needle has a convexo-concave axis at its tip, and the opening 43 is in a plane which is at the concave side of said convexo-concave axis. This convexo-concave axis has the contour of the line 42a in Fig. 10.

The plane of the edge of the opening 43 may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bore of the shank of the needle 41, or said plane may be inclined to said axis. While it is preferred to use a needle which has a straight shank, the invention is not limited thereto, because curved needles, of the type used in blind-stitch machines, are well-known.

When I refer to the longitudinally disposed edgeplane of the edge of the opening 43, I include an edgeplane which is vertical in Fig. 10, and which is transverse to the plane of Fig. 10, or said edge-plane may be inclined to the above-mentioned position. The edge-plane in Fig. 10 is slightly inclined to the vertical direction.

I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, but numerous changes and omissions and substitutions and additions can be made without departing from its scope.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for inserting severable hair into a dolls head, a needle which has a hollow cylindrical shank which is continuous with a hollow tip which has a piercing point, said tip having a tapered and blunted edge-wall whose narrowest part is at said piercing point, said edge-wall being sufiiciently blunted to prevent severing severable hair, said edge-wall being in a plane which is parallel to the straight axis of said cylindrical shank, said tip having a rounded convex wall which is opposed laterally to said edge-wall, said tip being said yarn or thread retained in the closed slit, inwardly of said pushed through said.

the ground-oi remaiging partdofhankoriginal hello? ang Rderenecs'CJlted'intliefiIe-Of this patent convexoeoncave an tapere 00 '-extension 0 sai I cylindrical shank, said edge-wall having a rounded and UmED STATES PATENTS concave P 360,884 Hutchinson Apr. 12, 1887 2. In an apparatus for nserhng severable hair into a 5 346,717 n Man 12 1907 dolls head, a needle which has a hollow cylindrical 9652361 s'eustedt July 26 1910 shank which is continuous with a hollow tip which has a 1 395340 M D e c 7 19.19 piercing point, said tip having a tapered and blunted edge 'Z De S Ma 1936 whose narrowest part is at said piercing point, said edge 6 1 A y ]939 wall being sufiiciently blunted to prevent severing sever- 10 893367 i on 0 able hair, said edge wall being in a plane which is paralg e 19 lel to the straight axis of said cylindrical shank, said 1423508 Mccutchgn July 1947 tip having a convex wall which is opposed laterally to 2,478,743 Charles 1949 said edge-wall, said edge-wall having a rounded and con- 2,559,152 68 July 10, 1951 1-; 2,636,466 Seiderman Apr. 28, 1 9 55 cave top part. 

